UMEM Educational Pearls

Category: Administration

Title: Pericarditis vs STEMI

Keywords: STEMI, pericarditis, (PubMed Search)

Posted: 6/11/2023 by Leen Alblaihed, MHA, MBBS (Emailed: 6/12/2023)
Click here to contact Leen Alblaihed, MHA, MBBS

a 37 year old patient comes in with chest pain, you obtain the following ECG. Is this a STEMI or Pericarditis? 

 

 

How can you tell? well, you follow the algorithm Dr. Mattu taught us....

 

 

The ECG above, if you go through the algorithm you will see that it is most likely pericarditis. 

note that PR depression can be transient and you might not see them. 

When in doubt, it is not wrong to consult cardiology. Getting serial ECGs also is important, STEMIs will usually evolve.